Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-01-06
Raxter,s Bows.

| DdAtcE DOyS dEO n DftQ SUI.
This remark was made to me when
old man Baxter was pointed out I'd
me for the first time. Everybody had
q good word for the father, but it was
the unanimous verdict that the sons
were fit only for the penitentiary and
the gailows.
OF course dumped to the conclus
sion that old man Bakers hair was
prematurely gray, and that the nus
merous lines craven deep in his facs
we're stamped there by sorrow and
care. As began to know him better,
his tender heart. his unfailing patience.
and his sunny temperd drew me to him,
and | often found myself thinking Bit
terIy and resentfully of his wicked
boys.
Out OF consideration for the old
man | carefully avoided family topics
but one Sunday when | stopped I'd
chat with him in front of his cottage,
he suddenly remarked:
II got letter from Tom this morn
ing"
"Tom'" repeated inquiringly.
ayes; one OF my boys" was the re-
| ply; "but you are newcomer here,
so of course you never met Tom"
no" | answered, in some embar-
rassment; al hope he is well.'
"Well enough, but in trouble" said
Baxter, with sigh. 81 tell you the
way that boy has been imposed on ID
shame He has had a run OF bad
luck all his life. You know they
charged him with forging check, and
run him off from here?"
told him that | had understood
that there was some trouble.
"Yes, sir; it is fact, continued my
companion, Indignantly. .'And all
though raised the money and set
! tied the check matter. they actually
| indicted the lad, and he had to leave,
| He first went to Texas. but there wer6
some bad fellows out there who wanted
| to get rid of him, and SO they charged
| him with stealing horse. don't re-
member all the facts, but of course
know that he didn't intend to stead
the animal. However, they had II
| their own way, and he had to get
Well, when he left there he went I'd
Indian Territory, and now he write
me that he's hiding out from ths
| United States marshals. Somebody'a
been imposing upon him again,
reckon"
Wishing to change the conversation
/ said something about taking wall
for my health.
"That was Jim's idea" said Mr..
Baxter, with pleased smile "Jins
another son of mine," he explained.
you've heard of JIM"
i i admitted that had heard OF him.
but / did not think it necessary to add
that / had been told that he was
-blooded, murderorfs cut-throat.
you ought to have Jim here I'd
walk with you. But, Lord bless you,
Jim wouldn't get along with these PEG,
pie. They were always after him.
Imposing upon him?" suggested.
Eyes, just so. Now Jim was littls
how-come-you-so one day, and a bar
keeper refused TO sell him a drink. II
was the meanest thing that mani
could do under the circumstances, be
cause the man might have known that
Jim was bound to havehis way. Well Il
Jim, he just pulled out his pistol and
shot that barkeeper dead in his tracks
and helped himself to drink. ! adj
vised the peoplenot to make any fusI +
over it, as they all knew Jim and hil !
peculiarities, but the devil got intd
them, and nothing would do but al )
inquest and all that sort of thing 81
mortgaged nay house and let my boI
have several hundred dollars, and b E
went off out west" N
J ''Is he getting along well9'' | asked q
'Tm afraid not. People don't uu
derstand Jim. Thy don't make a
lowances. He's as kind hearted rs ~
baby, but he won't be imposed upon
Once out in New Mexico jim borrowe
mans toothbrush. and when he r g;
turned it to him what do you thin -
the fellow bid? Why, he actual 81.
threw it away. Yes, ne did; be thre q:
it away. Jim was in for peace, but <
|, couldn't stand that. He drew his p
tol and blew daylight through u
man, and then he had to move syai1
/ think he's gone to join Joe. Eve q
hear OF Joe?"
mumbled OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
"You ought to know Joe. He's
kind hearted as Jim and as hone
and true-hearted as Tom. But Joe
forgetful. That's the great drawbae r.
with joe"
"Yes. that's what's the matter VII 8
Joe. People don't understand it, az q
so they've got him indicted IN ~ =
states for bigamy." =
"What has forgetfulness TO do VIZ -
that?" | asked.
"Why, sir,a great deal. You see,
travels heap. Among new scenes az
new acquaintance he forgets thins
After being away from a wife seVer
months he foroets all about being me
ried, and so gets into new entangI
ment. Instead of making aliowano
for him people get fighting mad and
dict him for bigamv and nearly wor $ /.
the life out of him. It's a mlgH
wicked world, anyhow"
You have three boys, them" SAD
preparing to walk on. -
-Four, sir, Jour-" replied the O -
man briskly. There's Jerry, u -
know. Jerry, Think is the best one ~
all. He'sin the penitentiary now at s.
bany, but think he'll be pardonedo l ~
| w ee~f7-
there. The fact is he didn't do au
thing but kill revenue officer,
everybody knows he wouldn't %
done 1T il the officer hadn't been me-
keying around his still. ON | I'M -
he'llget out soon" ~
started to continue my walk, "a
, old man Baxter held me back. ~
"You must dropin again, ne g 8
"lt's such comfort to me 10
} about my boys. They are the ~
and most affectionate sons iss
ever had. youdon't know how 4
them. 1t is all that keeps me a -
Now, if l had bad, undutiiul %
such as some fathers are cursed -,
believeit would kill me. But IL -
ries me to have the boys imposed e!
on by every body. That's my &.
trouble
tore myself away. Perhaps
, blessed thing that old man pa
can not see his boys as Others
them. Perhaps. after all, his i
have some spark of goodness IN =
Atlanta Constitution.